🎧 Podcast · Pavel
The transparency rules of the European Union’s AI Act, Article 50, took effect on 2 August 2026. They also affect ordinary businesses that have an AI chatbot on their website or publish AI-generated content.
What do the rules mean?
- Chatbots must identify themselves. People must know they are talking to AI no later than the first interaction, unless it is already obvious.
- Deepfakes must be labelled. If you publish AI-generated or altered images, video or audio that look like real people or events, you must say so clearly.
- Generated content must be marked. Providers of AI systems must mark generated content in a machine-readable way. Systems placed on the market before 2 August have a transition period until 2 December 2026.
Fines for breaches can reach EUR 15 million or 3 percent of worldwide annual turnover.
What to check on your website
- Do you have an AI chatbot or automated support? Add a clear line at the start of the chat saying it is AI, plus a way to reach a person.
- Do you use AI-generated images of people or real situations? Label them.
- Does the chatbot collect personal data? Update your privacy policy and check where the data is processed.
- Ask your chatbot provider how they comply with the AI Act.
Does this mean you should avoid AI?
Quite the opposite. The rules are reasonable and easy to meet. Transparency also builds trust: a customer who knows they are talking to a bot and can quickly reach a human is a happier customer.
We build AI solutions for websites and online stores with the right notices and privacy policy. See our services and our website accessibility page.